Means for use in photographic reproduction



M. M. KULUS.

MEANS FOR USE IN PHOTOGRAPHIC REPRODUCTION. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2. 1920.

Patented Dec. 28,1920.

2 $HEETSSHEET I.

M. M. KULUS. MEANS FOR USE IN PHOTOGRAPHIC REPRODUCTION. I APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2.1920. 1,363,517. Patented Dec. 28,1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MATTHEW MARRIN KULUS, OF AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 28, 1920.

Application filed June 2, 1920. Serial No. 385,971.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MATTHEW MARnrN KULUs, subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Auckland, in the Dominion of New Zealand, have invented a new and useful Improved Means for Use in Photographic Reproduction; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

This invention has been devised in order to provide improved means for use inthe reproduction of photographs and part cularly by means of which a number of prints may be taken from a negative by the intermittent feeding of a continuous strip of sensitized paper across such negative. The meansdevised are of a nature such that the time exposure of each portion the strip to the printing light is automat1ca ll' ff-1- trolled to provide for its uniformity with the others, thereby insuring that all the prints from a particular negative will be of uniform density. The means are adaptable for printing by artificial light and particularly by electric light.

The invention consists in a machine embodying an inclosed light chamber having a negative holding frame at its upper end, means for feeding a strip of the photographic paper intermittently across such negative frame, and means for pressing the strip downward upon the frame and for simultaneously illuminating the light chan ber between each intermittent movement of the paper strip.

These means are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation.

Fig. 2 a sectional side elevation, and

Fig. 3 a plan of the machine.

Fig. l is a sectional plan taken on the line -i-4t of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a similar View but taken on the line 55 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a detail View of the light controlling means.

Fig. is a longitudinal section, and

Fig. 8 a cross section, both on enlarged scale of the paper strip feeding means.

In the means for carrying out the invention illustrated in the drawings, a complete cycle of operations whereby a fresh portion of the paper strip is positioned above the negative, such portion pressed down thereon while an exposure of such portion to the printing light is made for a predetermined period, and the paper then released so as to be ready for a further feeding movement, is effected by imparting a complete turning movement to an actuating shaft. These op erations are then repeated continuously until the desired number of prints have been made.

The machine is formed by a frame platform 10 supported upon underframing 11 and within it is fixed the light box 12 and the top of which is open and arranged approximately level with the surface of the platform. This open top is made to receive and hold a negative frame of any approved design so that the negative will extend over the open top and about flush therewith. At one end of the frame a roller 13 is mounted to extend transversely across it and upon this the roll of sensitized paper is wound, the sensitized surface being on the outside, so that the paper strip may be passed across the negative with its printing surface in contact therewith. Adjustable guide blocks 1% are mounted upon a transverse bar 15 positioned between the feed roller and the light box 12, between which the strip, repre sented by 16, passes to guide it squarely across the negative. The end of the strip then passes over the bar 17 at the other end of the platform. The various edges and surfaces across which the paper passes, are covered with velvet, baize, or like material, to prevent any so etching of the sensitized surface.

An operating shaft 18 is mounted transversely in hearings in the underframe. This shaft at its outer end has a hand wheel 19 secured thereon. Upon its inner end a disk 20 is secured and al o cams 21 and 22.

Arranged longitudinally along the platform 10 are parallel guide bars 23 which bars carry the paper feeding means. These means are shown more particularly in the detail views Figs. '7 and 8. They consist in a slide block 2 mounted to move to and fro along the bars. This block supports, by means of vertical brackets 25 secured to its respective sides, a cross bar 26 the underside of which is suitably padded. The brackets are arranged a distance apart such that the paper strip may pass between them as it passes beyond the negative. The block is formed with a guide way 27 extending longitudinally through it and in this guide being readily broken to provide for the plate being lifted up, either by hinges on otherwise.

For holding the free end of the paper strip, a flap 46 is hinged in the framing above the bar 17 at the forward end of the platform. This flap is adapted to turn down and engage the bar so as to firmly hold the paper between them, and is operated in this manner by means of a rocking lever 47 pivoted between its ends to the underframing 11 and having its rear end overlying the cam 22 upon the shaft 18, while its forward end is connected to the flap 4:6 by means of the connecting rod 48. This end is also kept normally raised so as to lift the flap, by means of a suitable spring, such as the spring 19 (Fig. 2) attached to the underframing and bearing upward upon the lever. The cam 22 is so adjusted that, in its rotation, it will raise the rear end of the lever, thereby depressing the forward end and drawing the flap down, to such an extent as to cause the flap to engage with the bar 17 in the required manner, and then to release it so that the spring 49 will force the flap up again.

The connection of the connecting rod d8 with the lever t? is made of the springy nature shown at 50 in Fig. 2, in order that the flap will be drawn tightly down and the paper will be held firmly without danger oi mar ring or spoiling the paper.

The cam is also so positioned that the closing of the flap 46 upon the paper takes place simultaneously with the depression of the presser plate 40 on to the portion above the negative.

An electric lamp 51 of the required power is fitted into the bottom of the light box 12 and arranged in the power circuit in the usual way. This circuit is however con trolled by the special means shown more particularly in Figs. 2, 5 and 6. under which the circuit is normally broken, but is closed, so as to illumine the lamp, by the operation of the shaft 18, and for a period such as may be regulated at will by the operator.

For these purposes a spring contact arm 52 is attached to a block 53 fixed upon the undcrframing 11 and an electric connection with a terminal 54: to which one wire of the circuit is attached. A rigid contact arm 55 is also fixed to the block, but suitably insulated therefrom and overlies the spring arm To this rigid arm the other wire of the circuit is attached. The two arms are provided with contact points 56 oppositel disposed and adapted to make contact when the spring arm is forced up. A flexible air bulb 57 is positioned between the spring and the block base and this bulb is connected by tubing 58 at one end with an ordinary rubber air ball 59 having the usual air inlet non-return valve. If desired an auxiliary air chamber 60 may be interposed between the ball and the bulb to insure of a positive distension of the bulb when the ball is compressed. Such distension is thus adapted to raise the spring contact arm and cause the points 56 to contact and close the circuit. The other end of the bulb is connected by tubing 61 with any approved device by means of which the air may escape from the bulb under the pressure of the spring contact arm, at a regu latable rate and thus keep the contacts in touch for any desired period. Such a device is shown in Fig. 5 and it consists of a small cylinder 62 into the side of which the tube 61 enters. One end of the cylinder is formed with a tapered air vent 63 therein and the other end has a needle valve 69L screwed in through it so that its pointed end passes into the tapered vent 63. By these means the area of the vent may be regulated to an exact degree to provide for the air escaping at any desired rate, and if desired the different positions of the needle valve head to provide for fixed periods, may be indicated by dial markings of any approved nature.

The ball 59 .is pressed by the means shown, such being controlled by the rotation of the shaft 18. The ball is positioned between a fixed plate 65 and a moving plate 66 spring controlled by the spring '70 so as to be drawn back away from the fixed plate. It is however, connected by a link 67 with the lever (38 pivoted upon the underframing and projecting upward so that its upper end lies in the course of the pin 69 fixed t0 the disk 20. As the pin moves around with the rotation of the disk it engages the lever, draws it over to draw the plates together and thereby compress the air ball, and then frees the lever and allows the spring T0 to draw the movable plate back. These operations occur simultaneously with the operations of the presser plate t0 and the flap d6 and alternately with the tecding operations of the feeding means.

The lamp circuit contains a condenser or other device in the ordinary way to provide against any sparking or arcing of the current between the contact points 56 as they make and break the circuit.

In the drawings the position of the various parts are indicated as when the printing operation has just about finished.

I claim i. In photographic printing apparatus a table frame, a light box arranged within such fra o and constructed with a negative holder upon its open top, a feeding roller arranged on one side of the top of such box and adapted to have a strip of photographic paper wound thereon so as to feed above the negative, an operating shaft mounted in the lower part of the frame, a presser plate mounted horizontally above the negative holder and normally raised from contact therewith, means actuated by the op erating shaft for depressing such presser plate on to the negative holder and releasing it on each rotation of the said shaft, a paper feeding and gripping device constructed to grip the paper, mounted to slide longitudinally on the frame on the reverse side of the negative holder to the said feeding roller, means whereby, on each rotation of the operating shaft, the said feeding and gripping device is caused to grip the paper and move it a predetermined distance across'the negative holder and then to release it, at a period alternate with the depression of the presser plate, means situated upon the delivery side of the feeding and gripping oevice to clamp the paper end, actuated by the operating shaft simultaneously with its actuation of the presser plate, an electric lamp positioned within the said light box, means interposed within the circuit of such lamp by which the circuit is normally broken, and means actuated by he operating shaft by which such circuit is closed for a regulatable period simultaneously with the actuation of the presser plate, substantially as specified.

2. In photographic printing apparatus, the combination with a table frame having an actuating shaft mounted within it, a light box having a negative holder upon its open top and a controlled electric lamp positioned within it, positioned in such frame, and with means for leading a strip of photographic paper across such negative holder, of a paper gripping and feeding means mounted on the said frame, formed by a slide block mounted to slide to and fro in relation to the negative frame and supporting a transversely extending overhead bar, beneath which the paper strip is passed, a sliding bar mounted to slide longitudinally within such block, a bow spring positioned beneath the over ead bar, attached at its back end to the back end of the said sliding bar and at its forward end to the block, normally serving to keep the sliding bar moved rearward in the block and itself out of contact with the overhead bar and adapted when the bar is moved forward to be arched into contact with the said overhead bar, a stop on the back end of the sliding bar adapted to engage with a portion of the block when the sliding bar has moved forward, a. tooth on th. forward end of the sl'din bar, a second slide block mounted on the frame in iront of the first and adapted to be moved in the same line thereas, a weight normally drawing such second slide block backward into engagement with the first slide block and also forcing it back, means, actuated by the operating shaft, for drawing this second slide block forward a predetermined distance and then releasing it, and a spring pawl mounted on the second slide block and engaging with the tooth on the forward end of the sliding bar in the first slide block, sub stantially as specified.

3. In photographic printing apparatus, the combination with a table frame having an operating shaft mounted in its under portion, a light box fixed in such frame, having a negative holder upon its open top and a controlled electric lamp within it, and means for intermittently feeding a photographic paper strip lengthwise above the said negative holder, actuated by the said operating shaft, of a presser plate arranged above the negative holder, spring pillars projecting upward from the table frame top and normally supporting the presser plate at a distance above the negative holder, lever arms pivoted in the frame beneath the table top, springy connections between such levers and the respective ends of the presser plate and means upon the operating shaft whereby on its rotation the lever arms will be drawn down to press the presser plate on to the negative holder, and then released, alternately with the feeding operations of the paper feeding means, substantially as specified.

4. In photographic printing apparatus, the combination with a table frame having an operating shaft mounted in its under portion, a light box fixed in such frame having a negative holder in the open top end thereof and with means for intermittently feeding a strip of photographic paper across the negative holder and for pressing it upon such holder between each feeding movement, actuated. by the said operating shaft, of an electric lamp arranged within such light box, an electric circuit within which such lamp is arranged, a spring controlled switch normally opening such circuit, a resilient air cushion positioned within such switch and adapted, when inflated, to close the switch, an air bulb connected to such cushion, and a regulatable air escape leading from the cushion, and means actuated by the operating shaft on each rotation thereof, whereby the said air bulb may be compressed to inflate the air cushion and then released to perunit of its deflation through the said escape, such actuation being timed to occur between each. feeding movement of the paper strip, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

In photographic printing apparatus, the combination with the means set forth in claim 2, of a clamping device for holding the free end of the paper strip after it has passed through the gripping and feeding device, such clamping device being formed by a fixed bar extending transversely across the table frame, across which the strip passes, and a flap hinged to the table frame above such bar so as to be adapted to close operations of the paper gripping and feed- 10 down thereon, a connecting bar articuing device, substantially as specified. lated to the outer edge of such flap, a In testimony whereof, I have signed this rocking lever at one end pivotally attached specification in the presence of two subscrib- 5 to the frame and means upon the operating ing Witnesses.

shaft engaging With the other end of the MATTHEW MARRIN KULUS. rocking lever by means of which such end lVitnesses: may be raised and released, so as to depress DAVID BROWN HUTTON,

and raise the said flap, alternately with the H. C. BAKER. 

